Susceptibility may refer to:
Physics and engineering
In physics the susceptibility is a quantification for the change of an
extensive property under variation of an
intensive property. The word may refer to:
* In
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...
, the susceptibility of a material or substance describes its response to an applied field. For example:
**
Magnetic susceptibility
In electromagnetism, the magnetic susceptibility (Latin: , "receptive"; denoted ) is a measure of how much a material will become magnetized in an applied magnetic field. It is the ratio of magnetization (magnetic moment per unit volume) to the ap ...
**
Electric susceptibility
In electricity (electromagnetism), the electric susceptibility (\chi_; Latin: ''susceptibilis'' "receptive") is a dimensionless proportionality constant that indicates the degree of polarization of a dielectric material in response to an applie ...
* The two types of susceptibility above are examples of a
linear response function; sometimes the terms ''susceptibility'' and ''linear response function'' are used interchangeably.
*In
electromagnetic compatibility
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is the ability of electrical equipment and systems to function acceptably in their electromagnetic environment, by limiting the unintentional generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic energy whic ...
(EMC), susceptibility is the sensitivity of a device's function to incoming electromagnetic interference
Health and medicine
* In epidemiology, a
susceptible individual is a member of a population who is at risk of becoming infected by a disease
* In microbiology, pharmacology, and medicine drug susceptibility is the ability of a microorganism to be inhibited or killed by the drug, as in
antibiotic susceptibility
Antibiotic sensitivity testing or antibiotic susceptibility testing is the measurement of the susceptibility of bacteria to antibiotics. It is used because bacteria may have resistance to some antibiotics. Sensitivity testing results can allow ...
, the susceptibility of microorganisms to antibiotics (often used synonymously with the lay term sensitivity)
Botany and environmental science
* Susceptibility to pathogens is the extent to which a plant, vegetation complex, or ecological community would suffer from a pathogen if exposed, without regard to the likelihood of exposure the opposite of
Plant disease resistance
Plant disease resistance protects plants from pathogens in two ways: by pre-formed structures and chemicals, and by infection-induced responses of the immune system. Relative to a susceptible plant, disease resistance is the reduction of pathoge ...
** It should not be confused with vulnerability, which by convention in this field takes into account both the effect of exposure ''and'' the likelihood of exposure
Military science
* The vulnerability of a target audience to particular forms of
psychological warfare
Psychological warfare (PSYWAR), or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PsyOp), have been known by many other names or terms, including Military Information Support Operations (MISO), Psy Ops, political warfare, "Hearts and M ...
See also
*
Vulnerability
Vulnerability refers to "the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally."
A window of vulnerability (WOV) is a time frame within which defensive measures are diminished, com ...
{{Disambiguation